By Nkechi Eze
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its operations against crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in Rivers State, destroying an illegal refining site and associated infrastructure in Bonny Local Government Area.
According to an official statement signed by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the illegal refining site was discovered on September 30, 2026, at Promise Land Community along Nanabie Creek, Bonny, following credible intelligence.
The site comprised a large cooking pot and three large storage tanks believed to have been intended for illegal refining and storage of stolen crude oil.
On October 2, the Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny, Captain SMC Umeh, led a team to the location, where the illegal refining facility and associated equipment were destroyed in accordance with established regulations.
The Navy said the operation was aimed at disrupting the infrastructure supporting crude oil theft and illegal refining in the Bonny area, particularly by eliminating facilities that could be used to process and store stolen crude oil.
The operation was conducted under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, which the Navy said has recently recorded other interventions involving the discovery of substantial quantities of suspected stolen crude oil and illegal refining infrastructure within the FOB Bonny area of operations.
The Navy said it has continued to strengthen surveillance and monitoring across the area to prevent the establishment or reactivation of illegal refining sites and deny criminal operators the infrastructure required to sustain crude oil theft and related activities.
